A legendary 1921 Swedish silent movie by film pioneer Victor Sjöström, The Phantom Carriage has influenced hundreds of artists over the years. Now, over a century since the film's initial release, the uniquely mesmeric Icelandic synth-punk trio Kælan Mikla have joined forces with compatriot Bardi Johannsson to create a haunting original score for the movie.
Stream and purchase here: https://kaelanmikla.bandcamp.com/album/the-phantom-carriage
Watch a video for the album's final track here: https://youtu.be/DAz72EUJTHI
Spotify album link here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1EW3NeXw2wonnFk2NEz0No
Watch the original The Phantom Carriage movie here: https://youtu.be/J4J6HpPLdAg
The film was screened at the Transylvania International Film Festival 2023, accompanied by a live performance of the score specially written for the location, to a sold-out church. In light of the success of this first performance, together Kælan Mikla and Bardi Johannsson have now released The Phantom Carriage original score on vinyl and will be performing it live on further occasions.
Together, Bardi Johannsson and Kælan Mikla have created a unique voice, inhabiting a world of folklore and fairytales, of magic and mysticism. Cinematic layers of synth, ethereal vocals and programmed drums - these are the elements at the heart of the collaboration's sound, pulling the listener ever-deeper into their musical space. Crossing between classical thriller scoring and darkwave gloomy synths, this is a spellbinding new work.
Kælan Mikla were founded in 2013 as an entry in a poetry competition. After winning the event, the group were encouraged to continue making music, and soon established themselves as a solid part of the Reykjavik grassroots scene. In 2015, Kælan Mikla released their song 'Kalt', attracting a host of attention nationally and abroad.
Since then, the group have travelled continuously. Including touring with Ville Valo and Alcest, Kælan Mikla have played alongside Placebo and a numer of critically acclaimed international artists.
Kælan Mikla's powerful presence has enchanted fans all over the world, including The Cure's Robert Smith, who has asked the band to play several of the festivals he has personally curated, across the US and in the UK. In their time, Kælan Mikla have released four albums, all with Toronto-based Artoffact Records. Their 2018 record, Nótt eftir nótt, made #14 on Revolver Magazine’s best albums of 2018 list, and their most recent, 2021's Undir Köldum Norðurljósum, received rave reviews worldwide.
Watch Kælan Mikla's 'Sólstöður' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBa1iM29mGI
Kælan Mikla are:
Sólveig Matthildur Kristjánsdóttir - synth
Margrét Rósa Dóru Harrýsdóttir - bass
Laufey Soffía - vocals
Kælan Mikla online:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaelanmikla/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kaelanmikla/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/28meEMqGpDrolyQ9OVoDAH
Bardi Johannsson is an award-winning Icelandic composer, musician and writer. He is mostly known for his work a member of the groups Bang Gang, Starwalker (a collaboration with JB Dunckel of AIR) and Lady & Bird (with Keren Ann).
He is an acclaimed writer of original soundtracks and has scored numerous films, including Nils Tavernier’s De toutes nos forces, David Guy Levy’s Would You Rather (along with composer Daniel Hunt of Ladytron), and Michele Civetta’s Agony. Bardi has worked on a variety of audiovisual projects such as trailers, TV series, ads, documentaries and theatre. He has worked with national theatres in Iceland and around France, and his music has been performed by orchestras throughout Europe. His work is often described as melancholic, filled with mysterious beauty and bringing a cinematic images to life.
Bardi has also collaborated with various artists during his career as a co-composer, producer or mixer. His collaborator credits include artists such as: Keren Ann, Anthony Gonzales (M83), JB Dunckel (AIR, Tomorrow's World), Helen Marnie (Ladytron), Phoebe Killdeer (Nouvelle Vague), Sia Furler, Olafur Arnalds, Anggun and many more.